Join us in store on Thursday 18 April any time from 1pm to taste, drink and buy Malbec - in all its velvety glory.

Malbec World Day is all about Argentina and its global dominance with the deeply coloured Malbec grape, which originates in Cahors in South West France.

Argentina's love affair with Malbec began in 1853 on 17 April when the country's then-president, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, made it his mission to raise the bar of Argentina’s wine industry. 

His strategy was to give Argentine wine a great global reputation so he asked French soil expert Michel Aimé Pouget to bring classic French vines to Argentina. Malbec was amongst them. It thrived in Argentina's unusual combination of growing factors.

These include plentiful sunshine, cool nights, high altitude vineyards and a dry climate. These factors suit Malbec down to the ground. Or should we say up in the mountains because that's where the majority of the best quality Malbec grows, often at altitudes of 1000 metres above sea level, frequently even higher.

The world's highest vineyard is officially in Argentina and is approximately 2500 metres above sea level. Malbec grows there but back to our story... 

Not long after Pouget took Malbec to Argentina, France's vineyards succumbed to the phylloxera epidemic, which all but wiped out Malbec in its French homeland. It was replanted and later suffered badly from frost in 1956 in Bordeaux, where it is still grown but in pretty small quantities these days.

Still, times have changed.

Malbec is now on the rise in France again. Its total plantings have increased slightly since 2000 and are now up to 6,208 hectares (at the last official statistical count). Over half of this is in Cahors where Malbec must make up 70% of any wine labelled as Cahors. And by the way, it's not traditionally called Malbec in Cahors, where locals refer to this grape as Cot.

The style of wines from Cahors tastes different too, as you might expect from  a different climate, different soils and different winemaking methods. 

So, without further ado, come along and join us on Thursday 18 April in store any time from 1pm for a tasting tour in your wine glass of a couple of great Malbecs. 

Pop in any time - bookings are not necessary for this in store tasting.

Wine Thursday 

Malbec World Day, Thursday 18 April from 1pm

We are celebrating Malbec World Day in store because we love Malbec and stand behind the sentiment that it’s worth celebrating the great Malbec grape.

* Join us in store on Thursday 18 April any time from 1pm onwards to taste, drink and buy Malbec - in all its velvety glory. 

See you then.